Browns vs. Bengals: Prediction and odds for Week 1

On Sunday, Sept. 10, the Cleveland Browns kick off the 2023 season at home against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The division rivals split the series last year with the Bengals winning the second battle of Ohio, but overall, the Browns have had Cincy's number as of late.

Cleveland also has Deshaun Watson ready to roll after a full offseason of work and he has several new weapons. On defense, there are some new faces as well, including Za'Darius Smith, who they added in a trade with Minnesota.

It's a huge game that could have playoff implications later this season. But who is favored and who will ultimately walk away with the win?

Browns vs. Bengals Odds Week 1

As it stands now, the Bengals are slight favorites over Cleveland. They sit with a narrow -2.5 spread with the moneyline at -136 for Cincy and +116 for the Browns. The over/under for this game is at 43.5. It seems the oddsmakers don't think the offenses will be having a shootout, which might be a safe bet in Week 1 as teams are just getting started.

Browns vs. Bengals Prediction Week 1

Last year, Cincinnati started out slow with two losses in Weeks 1 and 2. Those came against the Steelers with Mitchell Trubisky under center and Dallas, who was starting Cooper Rush while Dak Prescott was injured. The Bengals scored a total of 27 points in two games — one of which went into overtime.

By Week 3, they were turning things around and had only two more losses in the regular season — one of which was to Cleveland in Week 8.

In this prediction, the Bengals start out slow again and it becomes a huge advantage for the Browns. They score an early lead thanks to Deshaun Watson and Elijah Moore and by the fourth quarter, Nick Chubb is helping to milk the clock.

Final score: Cleveland 27, Cincinnati 24

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